The University of Kentucky proposes to develop an Exploratory Center for the study and prevention of health risk behaviors and promotion of health behaviors in children and adolescents in rural settings. The Center will draw together a number of individuals and units at the University with interest and expertise in research and preventive interventions in this area. It will provide a forum for research collaboration of faculty from several disciplines, departments, and sectors. Center Mission The mission of the Exploratory Research Center at the University of Kentucky will be to promote innovative multidisciplinary scholarly activities and research on issues concerning health risk behaviors, and strategies for their prevention, as well as promotion of health behaviors in children and adolescents in rural settings. Specific emphasis will be placed on diet and activity patterns, substance use, sexual behavior and unintentional injury. Administratively based in the Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, the Center will link faculty from a number of key disciplines, colleges and sectors to implement research on the development, maintenance and modification of health risk behaviors of children and adolescents. Participating colleges will include Nursing, Medicine, Education, Arts and Sciences, Human Environmental Sciences, Allied Health and Communications. Research approaches will be derived from principles of research in nursing, preventive medicine, psychology, health education, psychiatry and social science. Integration among the participating units will be maintained through a series of activities aimed at improving the scholarly environment for the development and implementation of multidisciplinary research. Liaisons between the proposed center and collaborating units and colleges will be maintained by Center Associates as well as other core personnel. Tangible outcomes of the Center will include submission of applications for multidisciplinary and individual research proposals to federal and private agencies, publications, and development and evaluation of intervention strategies to promote reduction in health risk behavior. In the long run, the most important outcome will be reductions in morbidity, mortality, and disability among children in rural settings.